GDT: 6/19/10 - DET (37-29) VS ARI (26-42) - 7:05 p.m. ET
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Detroit Tigers VS Arizona DiamondbacksSaturday, June 19, 2010Comerica Park, Detroit, MIGame Time - 7:05 p.m. EDT
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Familiarity breeds competition for JacksonBy Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
Just one day after D-backs left-hander Dontrelle Willis faced off against his former club, right-hander Edwin Jackson will get his chance Saturday when he takes the mound against the Tigers for the first time since being traded to Arizona this offseason.
Jackson said he's looking forward to the start and that he had good memories in his one season with the Tigers, which saw him win 13 games with 3.62 ERA last season.
"It's going to be fun," Jackson said. "I'm not going to try and overdo anything. It's another game against an opposing team as far as I'm concerned."
Jackson is hoping that facing his former team will also help him get back on track, like he was in his breakout season, when he was selected to the All-Star Game.
But for Jackson, who is 3-6 with a 5.18 ERA this season, he said he hasn't changed anything from last season and is just waiting for it to click.
"I'm not out throwing a knuckleball now," Jackson said. "There's nothing different that I'm doing."
Jackson isn't the only one looking to get back on track, however, as Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello, who was skipped in the rotation the last time around, has seen his fair share of struggles this season after an impressive rookie campaign last year.
Porcello, who went 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA last season, is just 4-6 with a 6.09 ERA in 12 starts this season. But Tigers manager Jim Leyland is confident that once he regains his command with his sinker, he'll get back to his form from 2009.
"If he gets the sinker back the way we want it to be on a consistent basis, then we think everything else will fall into place as well," Leyland said.
D-backs: Matchup can be an advantageThe series is almost a reunion party for Willis and Jackson, who were teammates last season in Detroit before joining the D-backs this season in separate trades. Manager A.J. Hinch joked about the interesting matchups, considering they came during Interleague Play. "We're going to ride the ex-team factor and try to use it to our advantage," Hinch said with a smile.
Tigers: Don't get too comfortableThird baseman Brandon Inge, who was an All-Star last season alongside Jackson, has faced his former teammate in the past and is 1-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts against him. But he said that neither he nor Jackson has the advantage Saturday. "Every advantage we have, he can say the same thing, because he knows us well," Inge said. "I'm not sure if there is an advantage or a disadvantage. There's a comfort on both sides. I know him, he's not going to try to give in to anyone. I'm for sure not going to let up on him. It doesn't mean I don't love him in the end."
Worth notingMark Reynolds was out of Arizona's lineup Friday night with Hinch trying to give his third baseman a mental breather. Reynolds is mired in an 0-for-15 slump with 13 of those at-bats resulting in a strikeout.
... In the hopes of improving on the mound, D-backs reliever Juan Gutierrez went to pitching only out of the stretch, even when the bases are empty. He has also shifted from the first-base side of the pitching rubber to the middle of it.
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Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera exited Friday's game with dizziness after the fourth inning. He was struck in the groin by a grounder in the second inning. The club announced his status as day-to-day.
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Pitching matchupTIGERS: RHP Rick Porcello (4-6, 6.09 ERA)Porcello is best known for his sinker. But of late, he hasn't had good command of the pitch and it has been running up in the strike zone, instead of staying down. In Porcello's last start against the White Sox on June 9, he surrendered eight runs in 3 1/3 innings. Because the Tigers had an off day on Monday, manager Jim Leyland opted to skip Porcello to give him extra time to try to regain command of his go-to pitch. "If he gets the sinker back the way we want it to be on a consistent basis, then we think everything else will fall into place as well," Leyland said.
D-BACKS: RHP Edwin Jackson (3-6, 5.18 ERA) Jackson will face off against his former team after being dealt to the D-backs during the Winter Meetings in a three-team trade that also included the Yankees. The right-hander got a no-decision in his last start against the Cardinals at Chase Field, but certainly deserved a better fate. He scattered eight hits and allowed just a pair of runs over 6 2/3 innings. He also got a no-decision in his start prior to that against the Braves at Chase Field when he allowed four runs over six innings.
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From MLB Tigers Game NotesRECENT RESULTS: The Tigers knocked off the Diamondbacks 7-5 last night at Comerica Park, the club’s seventh straight win. Phil Coke (5-0) picked up the win in relief for Detroit, while Jose Valverde worked a perfect ninth inning for his 15th save of the season. Brandon Inge singled, doubled, tripled and drove in a run for the Tigers, while Magglio Ordonez belted a two-run home run. The Tigers continue a nine-game homestand with the second game of a three-game series versus Arizona this evening. Following an off day on Monday, the club hits the road for a nine-game trip to New York, Atlanta and Minnesota.
INTERLEAGUE HAPPENINGS: Tonight’s contest against the Diamondbacks is Detroit’s 11th game of interleague play in 2010. Since interleague play started in 1997, the Tigers have compiled a 131-108 record. The Tigers are 64-33 in interleague games at Comerica Park. Detroit is 8-2 in interleague games during the 2010 season.
AMONG THE BEST SINCE 2006: The Tigers have compiled a 60-22 record, a .732 winning percentage, during interleague play since the start of the 2006 season. The .732 winning percentage during interleague action is the best among major league clubs during that stretch. The Red Sox and Twins are tied for second among all clubs with a 58-24 record, a .707 winning percentage, during interleague action over that stretch.
TIGERS PILE UP THE WINS IN INTERLEAGUE PLAY AT HOME: The Tigers have posted a 36-6 record, an .857 winning percentage, during interleague action over the club’s last 42 games at Comerica Park dating back to May 20, 2006.
ON THE OFFENSIVE OVER NINE-GAME WIN STREAK AT HOME: The Tigers enter tonight’s game against Arizona having won each of the club’s last nine games at Comerica Park dating back to June 2. During the nine-game stretch, the club is hitting .340 (105x309) with 59 runs scored, 20 doubles, three triples and 11 home runs.
MORE ON THE NINE-GAME WIN STREAK AT HOME: The Tigers enter tonight’s game against Arizona having won each of the club’s last nine games at Comerica Park dating back to June 2. It marks the longest such streak by the Tigers since the club won 10 straight games at Comerica Park June 15-July 15, 2006.
MAGGLIO MASHES DURING INTERLEAGUE ACTION: Magglio Ordonez enters tonight’s game versus Arizona hitting .340 (219x645) with 42 doubles, three triples, 35 home runs and 144 RBI in 174 games during interleague action in his career. He is third among all active major league players with a .340 batting average during interleague action, while he is sixth with a .577 slugging percentage.
GUILLEN GETS IT GOING: Carlos Guillen enters tonight’s game versus Arizona having hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games dating back to June 3. During the 13-game stretch, he is batting .347 (17x49) with five doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI.
INGE IGNITES: Brandon Inge enters tonight’s game versus the Diamondbacks having hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games dating back to May 30. He is batting .397 (25x63) with four doubles, a triple, home run and six RBI over the 17-game stretch.
ORDONEZ ON THE OFFENSIVE: Magglio Ordonez is batting .413 (38x92) with 21 runs scored, four doubles, a triple, five home runs and 22 RBI over his last 24 games dating back to May 13. He is tops among all American League players with a .413 batting average and .471 on-base percentage during that stretch.
LOOKING AT THE ROOKIE LEADERS: Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch have both enjoyed success during their rookie campaigns. Jackson is tops among all American League rookies with 36 runs scored and 77 hits, while he is second with a .308 batting average. Boesch is tops among all league rookies with a .341 batting average, nine home runs and 34 RBI, while he is second with 57 hits.
BULLISH BEHAVIOR: Tigers relievers have compiled a 16-6 record and 2.91 ERA (197.2IP/64ER) through the club’s first 66 games this season. Tigers relievers lead the American League with 16 victories, while the club is second with a 2.91 ERA.
HOME IS WHERE THE MOUND IS: Tigers pitchers have compiled a 3.43 ERA (310.0IP/118ER) through the club’s first 34 games at home, while they have limited opponents to a .239 batting average (280x1170). The Tigers are third in the American League with a 3.43 ERA at home this season, while the club is fourth with a .239 batting average against.
INJURY UPDATE: RHP Zach Miner (right elbow tendinitis, 15-day DL on March 26),
RHP Ryan Perry (right shoulder bicipital tendinitis, 15-day DL on June 7),
LHP Bobby Seay (left shoulder strain, 60-day DL on March 26).
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Up next (Probable Pitchers)• Sunday, June 20Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (3-6, 6.14 ERA))
VS Diamondbacks (RHP
Ian Kennedy (3-4, 3.57 ERA)),
1:05 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)
• Monday, June 21OFF DAY• Tuesday, June 22Tigers (RHP
Justin Verlander (8-4, 3.54 ERA))
at METS (LHP
Jonathon Niese (4-2, 3.64 ERA)),
7:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Wednesday, June 23Tigers (RHP
Jeremy Bonderman (3-4, 4.06))
at METS (RHP
R.A. Dickey (5-0, 2.82 ERA)),
7:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)• Thursday, June 24Tigers (RHP
Armando Galarraga (2-1, 3.32))
at METS (LHP
Hisanori Takahashi (6-2, 3.13 ERA)),
7:10 p.m. ET (FS-D HD / 1270 & 97.1)
Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:55 am
swinging. 
